Bottle stopper



March 5, 1940. 1 THOMAS 2,192,511

BOTTLE STOPPER Filed July 27, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 5, 1940. H, H MA 2,192,511

norm: STOPPER 1 Filed July 27, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 5, 1940 strong Cork Company," Lancaster, lPa., a cor- I p oration of Pennsylvania Application July 27, 1936, Serial No. 92,731

' 2 Claims. (o1. 215 4s) This invention relatesto bottle stoppers and more particularly to a metal covered wood top stopper; and to a metal covered'wood top stopper head, as an article of manufacture.

It is an object of my invention to provide a stopper top having a metal covering sheath which is firmly attached to the head'member and secured against relative rotation with respect thereto. In one embodimentof my invention, the cut edge of the metal is embedded in the wood of the top and is thereby concealed and protected against corrosion. This structureprovides, an effective interlocking of the component elements and produces a structure in which thesheath is attached to the head member without objectionable knurling or folding of the skirt portion.

Another object of my invention is to provide a stopper top which may be decorated orembossed on the top or skirt portions thereof.

The article of my invention is a stopper top'in which a metal covering or sheath is disposed over the head member and the edge of the skirt of the sheath is turned into a bead grippingly engaging the head and clamping the same in the region of the periphery thereof between the bead and the top of the sheath. My invention also contemplates the combination of such a stopper top with a seal such as a cork to form a closure for bottles or other receptacles.

My method is directed generally to the formation of stoppers and stopper tops in which a metal covering sheath for the head member is headed so as to grippingly engage the head member and prevent relative rotation between the component parts forming the top. My method is adapted to be carried out in a simple assembly machine in which the heading operation is efiected by means of a curling die or punch.

Certain preferred embodiments of my invention will be described in connection with the attached drawings in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a stopper including a metal covered head portion;

Figure 2 is a sectional View on the line II--1I of Figure 1; a I

Figure 3 is a sectional view showing a modified stopper head embodying my invention;

Figure 4 is a top plan view showing a modification of my invention; and

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view on the line "A metal cover or sheath is disposed over the head .1y and upwardly and, as in the other embodiment,

the cork -2. The head member may be formed with a projecting boss 5 adapted tobe positioned within a recess provided in the cork 2, although the particular shape'of the head may be modified. to suit anyparticular requirements. A stratum of adhesive 6 disposed about the periphery of the boss 5 and in an annularrecess i provided in the head member 3, serves to secure the stopper and the head member as a unit. Theboss 5 serves to reenforce the cork inthe region of greatest in stress resultingfrom the application of torque to has a domed top 8 and'aslightly flared skirt 9.

member 3 withitstop I0 lying in engagement with the top"?! of the head member and its skirt Ii lying in engagement with skirt 9 of the head member. The lower edge of the skirt ll is-turned into a rounded, inwardly and upwardly extending bead 12 with the cut edge L3 thereof penetrating to a material depth within the body of the head member 3. The beadis spaced radially, outwardly 'fromthe periphery of the stopper 2 a distance su'mcient to accommodate the lip of a bottle.

By beading. the sheath so that the cut edge thereof penetrates the body of the head member, a firm frictional interlocking of I the head and sheath is obtained and relative rotation inhibited.

In addition, the cut edge is adequately protected against rusting or'corroding. It has been common practice inthe manufacture of metal-cov ered, wood-topped stoppers to knurl or otherwise mechanically interlock the skirt of the sheath with the skirt of the head member. If the knurling is not properly formed, relative rotation of the component elements results upon the application of turning stress in removal of the stopper from the container it seals. The edge of the sheath has generallybeen folded under the head portion of the stopper top and the out edge thereof has either been left exposed or thrust into the cork thus weakening it in the area of greatest stress. Furthermore, the puckering of the metal incident to folding of the skirt under the head member is objectionable from an appearancestandpoint because it prevents the closure from fitting 'closely against the 11p of the bottle to which it is applied.

In Figure 3 a modified stoppertop is shown in which the Wood head member, 'is provided with a stopper receiving recess l5, and in which the edge l6 of theskirt of the sheath is formed into a rounded bead which extends generally inwardgrippingly clamps the head member l4 between the top I! of the sheath and the portion l8 of the head [6. It will be observed that the cut or raw edge I9 of the metal sheath is concealed and is protected against corrosion.

In carrying out my method, I prefer to form the head member with the grain thereof running along a direction substantially parallel to the axis of the ,l1ead member. A metal sheath is then formed. This sheath may be decorated prior to formation into a cap or cup shape. The inner diameter of the metal sheath is preferably substantially the same as the outer diameter of the head member, and it is desirableto have the top of the sheath conform generally tothe top of the head member in order that maximum frictional engagement of the two elements will be obtained and deformation of the sheath will be obviated. The skirt of the sheath should be somewhat longer than the skirt of the head member and, upon telescoping of the head member within the sheath, the skirt should extend below the skirt of the head member a distance sufiicient to permit the formation of a bead. The bead is preferably formed by positioning the telescoped sheath and head member within a die member having a cavity which conforms closely to the configuration of the sheath and, while so supported, urging the extending portion of the skirt of the sheath into aninwardly and axially directed bead by means of acurling or beading punch so shaped as to dispose the cut edge within the body of the head member, as shown in Figure 1, or to curl the edge outwardly, as shown in Figure 3. Curling punches are common to the closure industry and are lmown to those skilled in the art.

My invention is applicable to sheathings which are embossed on either the top or skirt portions or both. If the top portion be embossed, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, where the letter A within a circle has been embossed in the head portion In of the sheath 'so as to provide upstanding portions l9 and 20, it may be found desirable to position a layer of resilient material 2| between the top 10 of 'the'sheath and the top 3 of the head in order that the embossing will not be stretched upon the beading operation, but will accommodate itself by compressing the resilient layer disposed between the sheath and the head member. A' thin layer of cardboard or a cork disk may be used for this purpose.

The trend at the present time is toward smooth skirted closures, and my invention permits the use of such skirt formation while firmly securing the head member and sheath against relative rotation. By practicing my invention, the assembly operation is simplified; it requires only a beading or curling punch as contrasted with the complicated knurling and folding equipment heretofore required. Thus, economy of manufacture is derived from the use of my invention, as well as the production of a superior product, both from the point of view of utility and of design.

While I have described and illustrated certain preferred embodiments of my invention, it will be understood that the invention is not so limited but may be otherwise embodied within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. As a new article of manufacture, a bottle stopper comprising a stopper top having a wooden head member with the grain thereof disposed substantially normal to the top thereof, a resilient element of sheet-like form disposed in engagement'with the top of said wooden head member,

a sheet metal sheath having top and skirt portions covering said resilient member and the peripheral edge portion of said head member, the free edge of said skirt being disposed as an in wardly and upwardly directed rounded bead, with the terminal edge of said sheath penetrating said head member in a direction parallel to the grain formly compressed.

HARRY THOMAS. 

